About Fairies

A fairy is a mythological creature that has been part of a number of cultures. It has seeped into folklore, literature, art and popular culture and is one of the most well known fabled creatures. The fairy is considered to be good by some, but others look at the fairy with suspicion because of fables relating to evil or violence.

Identification

The fairy has come in a number of shapes and sizes, depending on the story you read or the legend you hear. However, there are a few traits that are typical of the fairy as a universal legend. A fairy typically looks like humans or humanoids and are generally very beautiful or handsome. A fairy is small, ranging from the size of a pinkie to a small child. A fairy also generally wears green in many folk tales to help her camouflage, and many stories depict the fairy to have wings.

Habitat

The fairy is often associated with wooded areas. Many times a fairy's home is said to be in forests, and the trees and other plants growing around the fairy home are protected by the other faeries. More specifically, the fairy is said to live underground or in mounds of earth. Some believe this is because of a fairy's relationship with the earth, while others consider it to be a sign that a fairy is related to death.

Origin

There are a few different origins related to the fairy myth. One is that a fairy is a fallen angel who was caught between heaven and hell. Another is that the fairy first originated when the first baby on earth laughed. That laugh is said to have shattered and created the fairy, possibly alluding to its child-like size and appearance. Other myths say that the fairy is dead, or simply a magically-altered human.

Literature

The fairy is prevalent in many forms of literature. The fairy is common in medieval European texts, particularly those relating to knights errands, where it will often appear to the heroes of the story. William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" has a significant presence of faeries in it and is one of the scribe's most famous plays. The fairy is also an important character in works coming from the period of Romanticism. The fairy is seen in works by famous authors, such as Sir Walter Scott and Rudyard Kipling

Types

There are two main types of faeries: The Seelie and the Unseelie. These types represent "courts" or "troops" of faeries, which are simply groups of them. Seelie faeries are generally inclined towards being a creature of good, although some myths say these faeries are still mischievous. The Unseelie court represents evil or malicious faeries, who tend to kidnap or murder their victims.